Journalist, poet Shamsul Alam Belal passes away
Prominent journalist, columnist and poet Shamsul Alam Bhuiyan, more commonly known as Shamsul Alam Belal, passed away in a hospital in Dhaka today. He was 63.
He had been admitted to Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital on February 5, 2022 due to breathing problems. He suffered a cardiac arrest at around 2am today and could not be revived.
The former city editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) is survived by his wife and two daughters—the eldest of whom, Sumaiya Binte Shams, is a senior sub-editor at The Daily Star—a host of relatives, friends and well-wishers.
His first namaz-e-janaza was held at the National Press Club in Dhaka around 11:30am today. He will be buried in his ancestral home at Ludiara village in Chouddagram, Cumilla after the second namaz-e-janaza after Asr prayers.
National Press Club President Farida Yasmin and General Secretary Elias Khan have expressed their condolences over Belal's death.
Senior journalists and journalists' organisations paid tributes to Belal as his body was taken to the Press Club in the morning.
Scores of journalists and Belal's fellow colleagues, including BSS Managing Director and Chief Editor Abul Kalam Azad, the Daily Observer Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former president of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul and former secretary general of BFUJ Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan joined the funeral prayers.
National Press Club President Farida Yasmin and General Secretary Elias Khan, BFUJ President Omar Faruque and Treasurer Khairuzzaman Kamal, DUJ General Secretary Sajjad Alam Khan Tapu and DRU General Secretary Nurul Islam Hasib paid tributes to Belal on behalf of their respective organisations after the namaz-e-janaza.
Born and raised in Cumilla, Belal obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree focused in economics, political science and social welfare from Notre Dame College in Dhaka. He joined BSS in 1981 and retired in 2020. He received his diploma in journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Berlin and a fellowship from Panos. Belal also worked as the Dhaka-based correspondent for 12 international media outlets and was a regular columnist for several leading English newspapers in the country. He was also a founding member of the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) and the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF).
Prior to joining BSS, Belal worked as an assistant film director and also acted on stage. He was an avid follower and practitioner of Bengali and Indian classical music and performed as a singer (Bangla, Urdu and Hindi) on stage on several occasions.
He was a published author. His published works include "The Silver Line in My Memory," "United States, Russia, China, Israel, India and the Muslim World," "Bangladesh: From Ancient Age To Modern Era," "Jatir Pitar Somadhite O Onyanyo Kobita," and "South Asia: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow."
Belal's family requests everyone to pray for his departed soul.
Comments